A few weeks ago, Willie asked me to preach this Sunday while he was gone to Hawaii. Who really goes to Hawaii for Thanksgiving anyway? I can't imagine substituting sand for stuffing, but whatever... Anyway, I had a pretty good idea what I was going to talk about. I basically had been 'percolating' on the idea for about 2 weeks, then decided to change directions. Now, I'm rethinking the second direction, but not really wanting to go back to the first. Second guessing is so much fun!
It's a lot easier to decide what to preach when you do it every week.
Monday, November 24, 2008
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Impending...
I'm messing with the idea of altering the format of this blog. I may have some frequent changes over the next week or so as I test-drive a few different things. Let me know what you think... or if there are features you'd like to see here. Sorry in advance if this experiment causes something to be lost that you just can't live without.
At the Crossroads 1.2
Last night at youth group, a ping pong ball got broken. I know, right... Huge traumatic deal! Ok, maybe not such a big deal. The thing is, a girl came asking me for a ball because they couldn't find one. I asked the kids who I knew had been playing ping pong last if they remembered where they put the ball when they were done. "We don't have it."
"I know you don't have it, but do you know where it is."
"No."
"Where did you leave it?" (Knowing that ping pong balls don't generally go biped and walk off, I thought this was a pretty good question.)
"We didn't do anything."
"I didn't accuse you of doing anything."
....silence
...more silence
"We broke it."
Actually the confession was more like "We were hitting it and it broke all by itself." but the bottom line is the ping pong ball was toast.
Having no emotional attachment to the ping pong ball, I went to my office and got out a new one. No big deal. What is a big deal though is the way we try to cover up our secrets with lies. As soon as I asked about the ball, the boy got defensive and lied to me. Over a ping pong ball!
This is nothing new. Adam hid from God in the garden. Cain claimed ignorance of his brother's location even as he knew Abel's body lay right where he took the life from it. David covered up the theft of his neighbor's wife with a sneaky plan. When that didn't work, he made sure Urriah wouldn't live to know the truth. Ananias and Saphira lied to the apostles to cover up previous dishonesty.
At the crossroads, there is no room for hiding. Here, you must stand out in the open before God and bare your soul to Him. If there is any hope of finding your way (and there is), it requires you to show yourself. To openly place yourself in the hands that have so wonderfully made you. Hands that already know you.
Check out Psalm 39. Go ahead, read what you find at that link, then come back and answer these questions.
What are you trying to hide from God? How is that affecting your relationship with Him?
"Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it..."
See you at the crossroads.
"I know you don't have it, but do you know where it is."
"No."
"Where did you leave it?" (Knowing that ping pong balls don't generally go biped and walk off, I thought this was a pretty good question.)
"We didn't do anything."
"I didn't accuse you of doing anything."
....silence
...more silence
"We broke it."
Actually the confession was more like "We were hitting it and it broke all by itself." but the bottom line is the ping pong ball was toast.
Having no emotional attachment to the ping pong ball, I went to my office and got out a new one. No big deal. What is a big deal though is the way we try to cover up our secrets with lies. As soon as I asked about the ball, the boy got defensive and lied to me. Over a ping pong ball!
This is nothing new. Adam hid from God in the garden. Cain claimed ignorance of his brother's location even as he knew Abel's body lay right where he took the life from it. David covered up the theft of his neighbor's wife with a sneaky plan. When that didn't work, he made sure Urriah wouldn't live to know the truth. Ananias and Saphira lied to the apostles to cover up previous dishonesty.
At the crossroads, there is no room for hiding. Here, you must stand out in the open before God and bare your soul to Him. If there is any hope of finding your way (and there is), it requires you to show yourself. To openly place yourself in the hands that have so wonderfully made you. Hands that already know you.
Check out Psalm 39. Go ahead, read what you find at that link, then come back and answer these questions.
What are you trying to hide from God? How is that affecting your relationship with Him?
"Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it..."
See you at the crossroads.
Thursday, November 13, 2008
At the Crossroads 1.1
I've started a series of devotions for my students that I post on our student ministry blog. Thought I'd share them here, too, with a little adaptation if necessary.
I'm going to start posting some devotional thoughts here each week to encourage you to move your faith out of the walls of our regular youth group events/activities. There will be some thoughts, scriptures, and prayers for you to think about as you go through your week. Use the comments section to discuss and question - I'll reply as quickly as I can, and feel free to reply to each other. Here's the first edition of "At the Crossroads"...
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Last night, we talked about paying attention to God. Now that I think about, I talk about paying attention to God a lot. Have you ever wondered why I harp on that subject so much?
Is it because I don't think you're paying enough attention to God? Maybe, in part. Imagine someone from another planet spends a day observing you to see what's most important to you - to find out what drives you, what guides your choices. What would they see? How do you fill your time? What is it that you just "can't miss"?
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Last night, we talked about paying attention to God. Now that I think about, I talk about paying attention to God a lot. Have you ever wondered why I harp on that subject so much?
Is it because I don't think you're paying enough attention to God? Maybe, in part. Imagine someone from another planet spends a day observing you to see what's most important to you - to find out what drives you, what guides your choices. What would they see? How do you fill your time? What is it that you just "can't miss"?
My guess is that our outside observer, based on how you spend your day, would not come to the conclusion that your Creator is most important to you. So maybe I talk so much about paying attention to God because I don't think you do enough of it.
But to be fair, you're not the only one. I find my own days filling themselves with a lot of stuff that's not necessarily putting God first. Just today, I've dropped my kids off at school, moved some stuff around in our backyard, made a quick check on facebook, took Marshall to pick up his phone when I went to get the trailer hooked up for the trip to Turning Point tomorrow, and worked on this devotion. But I have to admit, I haven't really stopped to hear the heartbeat of God today.
It's a constant struggle to give our Maker the attention He deserves from us. But it's a struggle worth fighting. Whatever you have planned right now... put it off. Go spend some time alone with God. Listen to Him. "Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it..."
I'll see you at the crossroads.
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Promo for Spring Event
We have an area youth rally each spring that we rotate between a few churches. This year, we're hosting, so I did a promo video. Let me know what you think... I'm still learning my new program. And if you're looking for something for your teens this April, I'll get you the details so you can join us.
Thursday, November 06, 2008
Gift Ideas for those in my life who've been asking...
Begin Here:
Outside of that feel free to use your imagination - I'm easy to please.
Outside of that feel free to use your imagination - I'm easy to please.
Wednesday, November 05, 2008
Election Reflections
A random assortment of thoughts from last night:
> Watching states get "called" for one candidate or another, I was impressed with the networks' ability to assimilate so much data so quickly that they could extrapolate the outcome from very small percentages of actually counted votes. Like when Vermont was called with ZERO precincts reporting. (Read that with as much deadpan sarcasm as you'd like.)
> It wouldn't make a difference in the outcome of this election, but does it still make sense to choose a president using the electoral college rather than popular vote? Then again, would the popular majority method just lead to candidates focusing on a few key cities rather than a few key states?
> This election has taken far too long and cost way too much. I wonder if it would be a good idea to limit the time frame in which a prospective candidate can campaign and the amount of money they can use to do so?
> Now that Obama has been elected, how will his opponents respond? A lot of accusations have been made - some with more credence than others. But in a couple months, he will be the President of the United States of America. Will those who didn't want him as President, submit to the authority of the office?
> Will there be any real change in the way the political machine of our nation operates?
> Watching Obama speak last night, there was a conflicted mix in my mind. Race alone cannot stop someone in our nation from achieving whatever their abilities will allow them to achieve. Several generations ago, Obama would have been considered 3/5ths of a person (or even less) when it came to politics; now he will be at the pinnacle of American political heap. That is real change, brought on over the last several decades, that America can be proud of. But it does concern me that the leader of our nation will now be leaning further left than any previous occupant of the White House. It will be interesting to say the least to see how Obama will actually lead. What will happen to his popularity when he has to start making and taking the tough calls of the presidency?
> I appreciated the tenor of Obama's speech last night. (Actually much of what he said would be heralded by the right had it been said by someone from the right.) With the huge crowd gathered around him, it would have been easy to work them up into a victory hype like we've never seen before. Instead of absorbing all the energy of his crowd and accepting their worship (which many people seem more than willing to give), he thanked his people, and reminded them that there is work to do to re-establish a sense of unity among the people of the United States.
I know a lot of my friends are up in arms about Obama. From socialist to Marxist to clandestine Muslim out to rot America from the inside out to being the AntiChrist out to overturn God's world order - I've heard all those ideas. I just can't buy into them. But he's not the savior of the American people either. That office is permanently filled by one who will never campaign. He just is. Let's make sure we don't forget where our true hope lies.
> Watching states get "called" for one candidate or another, I was impressed with the networks' ability to assimilate so much data so quickly that they could extrapolate the outcome from very small percentages of actually counted votes. Like when Vermont was called with ZERO precincts reporting. (Read that with as much deadpan sarcasm as you'd like.)
> It wouldn't make a difference in the outcome of this election, but does it still make sense to choose a president using the electoral college rather than popular vote? Then again, would the popular majority method just lead to candidates focusing on a few key cities rather than a few key states?
> This election has taken far too long and cost way too much. I wonder if it would be a good idea to limit the time frame in which a prospective candidate can campaign and the amount of money they can use to do so?
> Now that Obama has been elected, how will his opponents respond? A lot of accusations have been made - some with more credence than others. But in a couple months, he will be the President of the United States of America. Will those who didn't want him as President, submit to the authority of the office?
> Will there be any real change in the way the political machine of our nation operates?
> Watching Obama speak last night, there was a conflicted mix in my mind. Race alone cannot stop someone in our nation from achieving whatever their abilities will allow them to achieve. Several generations ago, Obama would have been considered 3/5ths of a person (or even less) when it came to politics; now he will be at the pinnacle of American political heap. That is real change, brought on over the last several decades, that America can be proud of. But it does concern me that the leader of our nation will now be leaning further left than any previous occupant of the White House. It will be interesting to say the least to see how Obama will actually lead. What will happen to his popularity when he has to start making and taking the tough calls of the presidency?
> I appreciated the tenor of Obama's speech last night. (Actually much of what he said would be heralded by the right had it been said by someone from the right.) With the huge crowd gathered around him, it would have been easy to work them up into a victory hype like we've never seen before. Instead of absorbing all the energy of his crowd and accepting their worship (which many people seem more than willing to give), he thanked his people, and reminded them that there is work to do to re-establish a sense of unity among the people of the United States.
I know a lot of my friends are up in arms about Obama. From socialist to Marxist to clandestine Muslim out to rot America from the inside out to being the AntiChrist out to overturn God's world order - I've heard all those ideas. I just can't buy into them. But he's not the savior of the American people either. That office is permanently filled by one who will never campaign. He just is. Let's make sure we don't forget where our true hope lies.
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Don't Give Up...
Some people call me patient. Some have credited me with perseverance and even longsuffering. The truth may be, however, that I'm just too stubborn to know when to quit!
Whatever the correct viewpoint of that issue, I do think we could all use a little more tenacity. The attitude of "This is what we're here for, and we will not quit." I remember as a kid, whenever we signed up for something like a sport or ongoing activity... we were in it until 'it' was done. I loved playing football as a kid. I was little and quick and hard to tackle. So my freshman year, I went out for football. 'Little and quick' becomes 'small and easy to throw around' when you strap on a helmet and half your bodyweight in pads. As a wide reciever with a team that threw about 6 passes all year, I didn't enjoy football. Not even a little. It wasn't fun anymore, and it was a lot of work. But I signed on to play and quitting wasn't an option, so I had to stick it out until the end of the season. I was rewarded with a grand total of 1 reception for about 45 yards (the only ball thrown to me all year - a 4 yard slant with about 40 yards of "run for your life" tacked on at the end).
Too many people have learned to quit when things get hard. If life is all about you being happy, and something is more work than it's worth? Quit. Your relationship is a mess? Quit. Your boss is a jerk? Quit. School is too hard? Hey you're old enough now, just quit. (You can go to work for someone else's jerky boss, because they just quit, too and said boss has an opening!)
Even in the church, there can be the thinking that if something is too difficult, it must not be what God wants. Because, God always opens the door, ya know... or at least a window. He paves the way ahead of us to accomplish what we want, right? The truth is that sometimes, God closes the door, boards up the window, latches the deadbolt and says, "Come on in." Jesus didn't tell people it was going to be easy to follow him. He told them it was going to be hard. He told them they'd be hated. And he said, "Follow me".
Have you ever noticed in Psalm 23 that as David is following God's guidance on the "right paths/ paths of righteousness" he ends up walking through "the valley of the shadow of death" to a table that God had prepared for him right in the middle of those who would kill him? Following God isn't safe. It isn't easy. It demands that we don't quit.
Two recent "little things" have been very encouraging to me in the last week in areas where I was pretty much ready to quit:
I haven't done really well with this blog lately. I don't feel the freedom to say what I really want to say, so I just haven't said much of anything. I'd really like this blog to serve as a catalyst for conversation, but that hasn't always seemed to happen. So, I've kind of just let the blog slide under the pile of 'stuff to do' lately, wondering if it's worth the effort. An anonymous comment last week about a difference that something I'd written several months ago (thanks google) had made in someone's life reminded me that sometimes you just don't know what God's going to do with your offering - you just need to give it.
Another ministry opportunity that had felt more draining than useful lately is the radio show that I do once a month - "The Cutting Edge". The station (KCMI) desired to have a show on Saturday nights that would be an outreach to area teens - playing music that's a little more 'spicy' than their general fare. Several area youth ministers come in with a few students and run the station for a few hours, rotating each week. With input from various sources, the station asked us (actually I think the only one they really had to tell was me) to tone down the tenor of the music (i.e. no more hardcore on "The Cutting Edge"). I don't like hardcore, but I know a lot of the teens in the area that we'd like to reach do. This was/is frustrating to me, and coupled with a wonder about whether or not anyone was really listenning - I was ready to quit. But last Saturday night was one of the best nights for me at the show in the year and a half that we've done it. I spent a few hours hanging out in the studio with 3 great kids (even though they begged for a Veggie Tales song), played a lot of good music, and had a lot of callers.
I guess all of this is just to say "Don't give up." You can't see the end yet, and if you quit, you'll never know.
Whatever the correct viewpoint of that issue, I do think we could all use a little more tenacity. The attitude of "This is what we're here for, and we will not quit." I remember as a kid, whenever we signed up for something like a sport or ongoing activity... we were in it until 'it' was done. I loved playing football as a kid. I was little and quick and hard to tackle. So my freshman year, I went out for football. 'Little and quick' becomes 'small and easy to throw around' when you strap on a helmet and half your bodyweight in pads. As a wide reciever with a team that threw about 6 passes all year, I didn't enjoy football. Not even a little. It wasn't fun anymore, and it was a lot of work. But I signed on to play and quitting wasn't an option, so I had to stick it out until the end of the season. I was rewarded with a grand total of 1 reception for about 45 yards (the only ball thrown to me all year - a 4 yard slant with about 40 yards of "run for your life" tacked on at the end).
Too many people have learned to quit when things get hard. If life is all about you being happy, and something is more work than it's worth? Quit. Your relationship is a mess? Quit. Your boss is a jerk? Quit. School is too hard? Hey you're old enough now, just quit. (You can go to work for someone else's jerky boss, because they just quit, too and said boss has an opening!)
Even in the church, there can be the thinking that if something is too difficult, it must not be what God wants. Because, God always opens the door, ya know... or at least a window. He paves the way ahead of us to accomplish what we want, right? The truth is that sometimes, God closes the door, boards up the window, latches the deadbolt and says, "Come on in." Jesus didn't tell people it was going to be easy to follow him. He told them it was going to be hard. He told them they'd be hated. And he said, "Follow me".
Have you ever noticed in Psalm 23 that as David is following God's guidance on the "right paths/ paths of righteousness" he ends up walking through "the valley of the shadow of death" to a table that God had prepared for him right in the middle of those who would kill him? Following God isn't safe. It isn't easy. It demands that we don't quit.
Two recent "little things" have been very encouraging to me in the last week in areas where I was pretty much ready to quit:
I haven't done really well with this blog lately. I don't feel the freedom to say what I really want to say, so I just haven't said much of anything. I'd really like this blog to serve as a catalyst for conversation, but that hasn't always seemed to happen. So, I've kind of just let the blog slide under the pile of 'stuff to do' lately, wondering if it's worth the effort. An anonymous comment last week about a difference that something I'd written several months ago (thanks google) had made in someone's life reminded me that sometimes you just don't know what God's going to do with your offering - you just need to give it.
Another ministry opportunity that had felt more draining than useful lately is the radio show that I do once a month - "The Cutting Edge". The station (KCMI) desired to have a show on Saturday nights that would be an outreach to area teens - playing music that's a little more 'spicy' than their general fare. Several area youth ministers come in with a few students and run the station for a few hours, rotating each week. With input from various sources, the station asked us (actually I think the only one they really had to tell was me) to tone down the tenor of the music (i.e. no more hardcore on "The Cutting Edge"). I don't like hardcore, but I know a lot of the teens in the area that we'd like to reach do. This was/is frustrating to me, and coupled with a wonder about whether or not anyone was really listenning - I was ready to quit. But last Saturday night was one of the best nights for me at the show in the year and a half that we've done it. I spent a few hours hanging out in the studio with 3 great kids (even though they begged for a Veggie Tales song), played a lot of good music, and had a lot of callers.
I guess all of this is just to say "Don't give up." You can't see the end yet, and if you quit, you'll never know.
Monday, October 20, 2008
Monday, October 13, 2008
How is this a "safe haven"?
In Hurt Chap Clark outlines how society is sytemmatically abandoning young people.
This article and other recent ones like it provide concrete examples of just how little we, as a culture, value kids. "A Michigan mother drove roughly 12 hours to Omaha so she could abandon her 13-year-old son at a hospital under the state's unique safe-haven law, Nebraska officials said Monday." (It's 'unique' in that lawmakers failed to define that "infants" may be left at a safe haven location as perhaps every other state has done; instead stating that parents may leave their "children" with no age qualifier.)
I know the intent of Safe Haven Laws is to give mothers in crisis situations a way to provide their infants with a better alternative than being aborted, neglected, or abused. And I hope that my state will act quickly to correct the wording of this legislation. But this all leaves me with a lot of questions...
What kind of society has to make laws about which children can be legally abandoned?
How have families become so broken that parents feel they have no choice but to dump off their progeny on complete strangers?
Where is the church for these people?
Can we come up with some more hopeful alternatives?
This article and other recent ones like it provide concrete examples of just how little we, as a culture, value kids. "A Michigan mother drove roughly 12 hours to Omaha so she could abandon her 13-year-old son at a hospital under the state's unique safe-haven law, Nebraska officials said Monday." (It's 'unique' in that lawmakers failed to define that "infants" may be left at a safe haven location as perhaps every other state has done; instead stating that parents may leave their "children" with no age qualifier.)
I know the intent of Safe Haven Laws is to give mothers in crisis situations a way to provide their infants with a better alternative than being aborted, neglected, or abused. And I hope that my state will act quickly to correct the wording of this legislation. But this all leaves me with a lot of questions...
What kind of society has to make laws about which children can be legally abandoned?
How have families become so broken that parents feel they have no choice but to dump off their progeny on complete strangers?
Where is the church for these people?
Can we come up with some more hopeful alternatives?
First Act Of Service
We had a good time of prayer last night with a handful of high school students. We've just finished going through the book of Titus, where Paul concludes with the need for the church to be devoted to "doing what is good, in order to provide for urgent needs and not live unproductive lives". I wanted to do something tangible together as an expression of our desire to do what is good.
The typical raking, cleaning, physical service projects came to mind, but I wanted to start somewhere less traveled. I think prayer is an often overlooked mode of service, so I decided to spend the time we had together doing just that. I put several topics in a hat - each of our staff members, our leadership team of staff and elders, friends, outreach to our community & schools, White Water Christian Church, national leaders, parents, etc. One of us would pull a topic out of the hat, we'd discuss how we could be praying for that particular issue or person, then that student would pray.
My hope is that they would continue to think about and pray for these matters as kind of a 'first act of service'. As we seek to meet needs, may we be reminded that there is really only One who can meet the most important.
The typical raking, cleaning, physical service projects came to mind, but I wanted to start somewhere less traveled. I think prayer is an often overlooked mode of service, so I decided to spend the time we had together doing just that. I put several topics in a hat - each of our staff members, our leadership team of staff and elders, friends, outreach to our community & schools, White Water Christian Church, national leaders, parents, etc. One of us would pull a topic out of the hat, we'd discuss how we could be praying for that particular issue or person, then that student would pray.
My hope is that they would continue to think about and pray for these matters as kind of a 'first act of service'. As we seek to meet needs, may we be reminded that there is really only One who can meet the most important.
Wednesday, October 08, 2008
Of skies and falling...
Is it really THE most important election in our nation's history? (And haven't I heard that before?)
Is the future of our nation really at stake?
If 'the liberals' win, are we really at the threshold of our national demise?
I wouldn't say that it doesn't matter at all who wins, but I'm just not ready to say the wrong choice will be our last. I don't think our country is what it is today (positively and negatively) because of who has and has not been our president. Nor do I don't think our national tomorrow is dictated by who wins the upcoming election. We are a nation that is shaped, more than any other, "by the people".
A great nation has been forged by the will of the people to pursue life, liberty, and happiness - not simply by having great men in the presidency.
Our banks aren't failing because of Bush's economic policies. Actually stronger links have been made to a Carter decision, which was morphed by Clinton into federal prodding of banks to make loans to unqualified applicants. But even those policies aren't completely to blame. We're in an economic mess because of our national greed. Our appetite for more and better no matter the cost has led us to an empty trough. Our capacity for spending enormous amounts of money that we don't have via our own personal decks of credit cards has finally brought the house down.
The presidency is an important position. But if your candidate doesn't make it... it's not the end of the world. God is still God, and maybe a bad choice will lead His church to wake up and behave more like His Son than ever before.
Is the future of our nation really at stake?
If 'the liberals' win, are we really at the threshold of our national demise?
I wouldn't say that it doesn't matter at all who wins, but I'm just not ready to say the wrong choice will be our last. I don't think our country is what it is today (positively and negatively) because of who has and has not been our president. Nor do I don't think our national tomorrow is dictated by who wins the upcoming election. We are a nation that is shaped, more than any other, "by the people".
A great nation has been forged by the will of the people to pursue life, liberty, and happiness - not simply by having great men in the presidency.
Our banks aren't failing because of Bush's economic policies. Actually stronger links have been made to a Carter decision, which was morphed by Clinton into federal prodding of banks to make loans to unqualified applicants. But even those policies aren't completely to blame. We're in an economic mess because of our national greed. Our appetite for more and better no matter the cost has led us to an empty trough. Our capacity for spending enormous amounts of money that we don't have via our own personal decks of credit cards has finally brought the house down.
The presidency is an important position. But if your candidate doesn't make it... it's not the end of the world. God is still God, and maybe a bad choice will lead His church to wake up and behave more like His Son than ever before.
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Producers 3
"Making Donuts" follow up #3
"Our people must learn to devote themselves to doing what is good, in order to provide for urgent needs and not live unproductive lives."
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Back in May, our students held a talent show we called the Biteback benefit. Sam had been wanting to do a talent show for some time and when I heard about Compassion's BiteBack ministry, it seemed like a good fit. We had a fun night with quite a few families coming to watch - and raising about $600 to stop kids from gettting malaria.
It was a simple thing.
It really wasn't difficult.
But it was productive.
God gave our kids here a lot of different talents. We had everything from pole vaulting to singing and dancing... and a lot of stuff in between. The talents were entertaining and the generosity of the audience met an urgent need for 60 families in Africa.
But not all talents lend themselves well to a talent show/benefit. I believe though, that all talents are given to benefit others. If we're committed to doing what is good, Christ will live in us a productive life meeting the needs of the people who surround us everyday. Make sure you're keeping your eyes open for those needs around you - and use your talents to meet them.
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On a related note: I put new brake pads on my wife's van yesterday. I've never done this before, but I knew the pads were worn down and I didn't want to pay through the nose to get the brakes done. (Local estimates started at $150 - one place wouldn't even give a ballpark price without me paying $35 for an inspection.) So for about $30 I bought new pads and a c-clamp, and replaced the pads myself. (No mom, the rotors are not warped or grooved - they're still safe.) I was kind of surprised at how easy it was and I got to thinking about hundreds of people who pay for automotive stuff (or just ignore maintenance issues) because they don't know that they can do it themselves. I'd like to put together a mechanically inclined team to teach some basics to our students (even stuff like changing a tire and oil and filters and spark plugs) by doing some basic maintenance on cars that need it. If you'd like to help, or learn, or if you have a car that could use some attention give me a call and let's see if we can be productive together.
"Our people must learn to devote themselves to doing what is good, in order to provide for urgent needs and not live unproductive lives."
------------------------
Back in May, our students held a talent show we called the Biteback benefit. Sam had been wanting to do a talent show for some time and when I heard about Compassion's BiteBack ministry, it seemed like a good fit. We had a fun night with quite a few families coming to watch - and raising about $600 to stop kids from gettting malaria.
It was a simple thing.
It really wasn't difficult.
But it was productive.
God gave our kids here a lot of different talents. We had everything from pole vaulting to singing and dancing... and a lot of stuff in between. The talents were entertaining and the generosity of the audience met an urgent need for 60 families in Africa.
But not all talents lend themselves well to a talent show/benefit. I believe though, that all talents are given to benefit others. If we're committed to doing what is good, Christ will live in us a productive life meeting the needs of the people who surround us everyday. Make sure you're keeping your eyes open for those needs around you - and use your talents to meet them.
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On a related note: I put new brake pads on my wife's van yesterday. I've never done this before, but I knew the pads were worn down and I didn't want to pay through the nose to get the brakes done. (Local estimates started at $150 - one place wouldn't even give a ballpark price without me paying $35 for an inspection.) So for about $30 I bought new pads and a c-clamp, and replaced the pads myself. (No mom, the rotors are not warped or grooved - they're still safe.) I was kind of surprised at how easy it was and I got to thinking about hundreds of people who pay for automotive stuff (or just ignore maintenance issues) because they don't know that they can do it themselves. I'd like to put together a mechanically inclined team to teach some basics to our students (even stuff like changing a tire and oil and filters and spark plugs) by doing some basic maintenance on cars that need it. If you'd like to help, or learn, or if you have a car that could use some attention give me a call and let's see if we can be productive together.
Friday, September 19, 2008
Producers 2
"Making Donuts" follow up #2
"Our people must learn to devote themselves to doing what is good, in order to provide for urgent needs and not live unproductive lives."
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A couple years ago, I was feeling like lots of stuff was bottled up inside me that wanted out. I thought painting might be a good outlet/release. I'm the kind of person who can't draw a straight line without a ruler and art as it's usually thought of has never been my forte. A wood planter I made in 8th Grade ended up as a pencil holder - but that was better than the clay pottery bowl that became grandpa's ashtray/coin cup. (Don't ask.)
I'm not sure I've ever really painted anything, so I'm not sure where the desire to paint was coming from. My mom made me do fingerpaints with my brother once, but I'm way too tactilly defensive for that I guess. Seriously, have you felt that stuff squishing between your digits? And for some reason, the fingerpaint smell has always made me gag. So naturally, with my newfound desire to paint and a little Christmas money I bought a paint set and a couple brushes and some little canvas boards to start out with.
I still haven't painted anything. The set is in the woefully misnomered 'work'shop in our back yard. Sad.
How often do we bottle up the creativity God's placed within us?
A friend of mine who is the worship leader here at WestWay recently uncorked. He's an insanely gifted musician and has been leading worship about 10 years or so. Actually, I remember him playing drums for worship back when churches didn't allow drums... a bit more than 10 years ago! So he collaborated with some friends with the equipment & talent to pull the project together, and released a CD of music he's written for worship over that time. It's fun to hear people commenting on how they've enjoyed or been touched by what he's allowed to bubble up. (You can hear some of Shane's music here and buy the CD as well.) When we release the God given creativity within us, He is producing tools that will benefit those around us.
Got a CD in you? A painting? Books or stories?
What is it that's building pressure?
Let it out.
"Our people must learn to devote themselves to doing what is good, in order to provide for urgent needs and not live unproductive lives."
------------------
A couple years ago, I was feeling like lots of stuff was bottled up inside me that wanted out. I thought painting might be a good outlet/release. I'm the kind of person who can't draw a straight line without a ruler and art as it's usually thought of has never been my forte. A wood planter I made in 8th Grade ended up as a pencil holder - but that was better than the clay pottery bowl that became grandpa's ashtray/coin cup. (Don't ask.)
I'm not sure I've ever really painted anything, so I'm not sure where the desire to paint was coming from. My mom made me do fingerpaints with my brother once, but I'm way too tactilly defensive for that I guess. Seriously, have you felt that stuff squishing between your digits? And for some reason, the fingerpaint smell has always made me gag. So naturally, with my newfound desire to paint and a little Christmas money I bought a paint set and a couple brushes and some little canvas boards to start out with.
I still haven't painted anything. The set is in the woefully misnomered 'work'shop in our back yard. Sad.
How often do we bottle up the creativity God's placed within us?
A friend of mine who is the worship leader here at WestWay recently uncorked. He's an insanely gifted musician and has been leading worship about 10 years or so. Actually, I remember him playing drums for worship back when churches didn't allow drums... a bit more than 10 years ago! So he collaborated with some friends with the equipment & talent to pull the project together, and released a CD of music he's written for worship over that time. It's fun to hear people commenting on how they've enjoyed or been touched by what he's allowed to bubble up. (You can hear some of Shane's music here and buy the CD as well.) When we release the God given creativity within us, He is producing tools that will benefit those around us.
Got a CD in you? A painting? Books or stories?
What is it that's building pressure?
Let it out.
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Producers 1
*This post is the first of a few of follow ups to last week's "Making Donuts" post.
"Our people must learn to devote themselves to doing what is good, in order to provide for urgent needs and not live unproductive lives."
-------------------------
Last Sunday, I got to take a group from WestWay to a new church plant's launch service over in Laramie. The church plant is a great example of people who are making sure they're not living unproductive lives. Church planting itself is always exciting to me, but this plant in particular has some extra interest due to several factors:
1) It is in Wyoming, where I grew up. Many churches in WY seem to struggle (both with external, 'hard soil' issues and internal, 'stuck in a rut we created' issues) so it's exciting to see this new endeavor taking shape. I haven't lived in WY since I left for college almost 15 years ago, but I still have a heart for the church in WY.
2) My parents and brother are a part of the plant team. After 15 years in one place (which is by far a record) my dad closed his counseling center, sold his buildings and has moved the family. (The house has not sold yet, so if anyone is looking to move to Cody, WY let me know!) He and my brother have been playing with the worship band - with mom back at the sound board. I love that my parents are still willing to jump over the edge into another adventure with God. "Always try new things." right Brian?
3) WestWay is one of the supporting churches. Our people have been praying for the church plant. I'm hoping the close proximity and connections we'll develop will breed an excitement among us at what God can do through new church work and that their innovative approach will provide the "old dogs" of the area some new tricks to learn. Also, though we'll miss him and his guitar being on our stage, it was great to see Adam leading worship in Laramie and exciting to see him grow in his role in ministry there.
4) The church is making adventurous living a part of their DNA. As a new church, there is no pattern of placation to follow. They are there to take a new trail as God leads. This may lead them to make decisions that most churches cannot or will not make. Even their name is a reflection of this spirit of adventure: White Water Christian Church.
Things seem to be beginnning well for White Water. At the service, a lady and a couple early teen boys were sitting behind us. During a moment of introduction after some upbeat songs, the boys commented that they were surprised by seeing "that many people having fun... at church." Church doesn't have to be boring... Happy Birthday White Water. I'm excited to see God continue to work in you and your community as you live productive lives.
"Our people must learn to devote themselves to doing what is good, in order to provide for urgent needs and not live unproductive lives."
-------------------------
Last Sunday, I got to take a group from WestWay to a new church plant's launch service over in Laramie. The church plant is a great example of people who are making sure they're not living unproductive lives. Church planting itself is always exciting to me, but this plant in particular has some extra interest due to several factors:
1) It is in Wyoming, where I grew up. Many churches in WY seem to struggle (both with external, 'hard soil' issues and internal, 'stuck in a rut we created' issues) so it's exciting to see this new endeavor taking shape. I haven't lived in WY since I left for college almost 15 years ago, but I still have a heart for the church in WY.
2) My parents and brother are a part of the plant team. After 15 years in one place (which is by far a record) my dad closed his counseling center, sold his buildings and has moved the family. (The house has not sold yet, so if anyone is looking to move to Cody, WY let me know!) He and my brother have been playing with the worship band - with mom back at the sound board. I love that my parents are still willing to jump over the edge into another adventure with God. "Always try new things." right Brian?
3) WestWay is one of the supporting churches. Our people have been praying for the church plant. I'm hoping the close proximity and connections we'll develop will breed an excitement among us at what God can do through new church work and that their innovative approach will provide the "old dogs" of the area some new tricks to learn. Also, though we'll miss him and his guitar being on our stage, it was great to see Adam leading worship in Laramie and exciting to see him grow in his role in ministry there.
4) The church is making adventurous living a part of their DNA. As a new church, there is no pattern of placation to follow. They are there to take a new trail as God leads. This may lead them to make decisions that most churches cannot or will not make. Even their name is a reflection of this spirit of adventure: White Water Christian Church.
Things seem to be beginnning well for White Water. At the service, a lady and a couple early teen boys were sitting behind us. During a moment of introduction after some upbeat songs, the boys commented that they were surprised by seeing "that many people having fun... at church." Church doesn't have to be boring... Happy Birthday White Water. I'm excited to see God continue to work in you and your community as you live productive lives.
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
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